Whispered by the Wind
by xiaoran
Summary: AU KxFxT - Fuuko is not the same and as Kurei's hopes of being together with her lessens, Fuuko's feelings becomes more confused by the day to a certain new friend. ON HOLD due to technical problems. TBC still...
1. Whispered to the Wind

NOTES:Hem, hem... fic means fiction... means doesn't really exist... means I gain no money from it and I gain no nothing. If I owned them, I wouldn't be worrying about financial needs now, would I? So, Standard Disclaimers apply. Flames will be used to cook my food in case I get hungry but reviews are very much welcomed. So now, GO AND LEAVE ME ALONE! GO, READ! READ AND REVIEW!  
  
WHISPERED BY THE WIND  
  
(A Kurei x Fuuko x Tokiya Fan Fic)  
  
ADDITIONAL NOTES: Hem hem... no Raiha and Fuuko involvements or affairs here, only the above mentioned and some JokerxNeon, RekkaxYanagi, GankoxKaoru and Raiha and Fuuko are only mere FRIENDS. Not that I hate Raiha... how can I hate him?! He's so HOT! Anyways, go on... don't mind my mindless blabber...  
  
"'Kaasan, 'Tousan... I'm going to school now," Fuuko said while facing the pictures of her parents, who were smiling back at her. "Ja ne. I love you both." She then picked up her bag and stalked off her room. She closed the door behind her and sighed, then ran off down the stairs where Ganko was waiting for her oneechan to walk her to school before she goes off to her own.  
  
It has been three long years since that incident happened. Her parents had bade them goodbye to go off at some party. It was a celebration with their parents' friends. Some sort of reunion. She can still remember them kissing her goodbye while she read the book her mother gave her for her twelfth birthday (which for some unknown reason, she wasn't even half-way yet). Her mother smiled at her and gave her a hug and a kiss at her temple and saying things that she should take care of Ganko and stuff that mothers usually tell their elder children. Her dad hugged her and she kissed him on the cheek, then they left. They had called at around two o'clock in the morning and said they were about to head home. She was scolded for staying up way late. So after she received the call, she went to sleep and decided to take a sermon in the morning...  
  
...which never came.  
  
It was written all over the news - a man and a woman died in a car accident. They slid off the road and down to the cliff. She was the first one to see it on the news while Ganko was still on dreamland. Tears fell right out of her eyes and Ganko shrieked. Fuuko rushed to her room to see her crying and embedded in cold sweat. Ganko told her oneechan about her horrible dream, but Fuuko confirmed it wasn't a dream... and they both started crying.  
  
It was a good thing they weren't left without anything. In fact, they were left with so many. The house, which they thought to be theirs on rental, was actually theirs and theirs to keep. A huge insurance which can send Fuuko and Ganko off to Tokyo University for the next twenty years. A spare vehicle which their mother bought in case she needed her own means of transportation and not only that, the stocks that her parents had invested were named to the two of them which was worth over at least $100,000. Not a thing they were expecting of course because her mom and dad lived a very simple life, though they barely stay for dinner for they were always out on dinner, parties, meeting and sorts of stuff, but they had no idea that they were this grand to have left them something as much as this.  
  
She then grabbed her keys and went over to pick Ganko's bag up and ushered her out the door. She then closed it and assisted her sister on to the car and drove off for school.  
  
She dropped Ganko off, where her sister was greeted by a few friends which she knew of, and then kissed her in the cheeks. "Now, now, don't come home late, ok? Remember to call me when-"  
  
"-ever you need anything. Hai, hai... wakatta!" Ganko said mockingly and stuck her tongue out while taking her back pack. Fuuko smiled at her and patted her head and sighed. Ganko closed the door and waved to her. "Well, I'll be off then!" Ganko and her friends waved as Fuuko went off.  
  
After twenty minutes of driving, she finally arrived at her own school. Despite her having her very own car and all, she was not the popular girl-type. She was practically invisible for the school tagged her a tomboy (like she minded, though). She parked the car and took her bag and ran off towards her classroom and as always, it was a disaster with two boys fighting, students cheering and betting them on and they were screaming. Fuuko then tightened her fist at the sight of this and hit them both squarely on the head. "BAKA!!! Stop it already, will you?!"  
  
The fighting then ceased, with a very scratched-up and bruised Domon Ishijima with a huge lump on his head and Rekka, holding the top of his head due to the pain. The students clapped and cheered Fuuko. She merely bowed at them and returned her gaze to the both of them, her hands on her waist.  
  
"ITAI!!!" Rekka shouted and faced Fuuko. "What the heck was that for?!" Rekka glared at Fuuko, and her, merely dismissing it. "That's for fighting in class, HANABISHI! Remember, the teacher told you 'NO FIGHTING', okay?" She turned to her heel and Yanagi running to her ninja and healing him while Domon was lying on the floor, all swirly-eyed.  
  
The teacher arrived soon. Fuuko commanded them all to stand up and greet the teacher. Then he started his lesson, to which Rekka paid no immediate attention to ("If it hadn't for hime, I wouldn't be attending this boring session," Rekka muttered to himself) and Domon snored at ("Oh Yes, My Darling Fuuko! Come to me!" the Domon-in-the-dream said and while in the classroom, he had the most silliest smiles one has ever seen, with drool attached to it). Fuuko and Yanagi, on the other hand, paid great attention to the teacher, with Fuuko, of course, with her usual arguing with him as to whether she agrees or not on some topics he is currently discussing. The teacher didn't seem to mind because when she starts questioning about stuff, the class seems to be more participative. He even seems to be thankful for that (except Rekka and Domon who continued to leisure off to their own world, to what they seemed she made worse than it already is). "No matter," Rekka muttered. "Only a few more seconds before--"  
  
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
The bell rang and the class made a wild stand up for it. Rekka immediately approached Yanagi and kicked Domon on his face. He awoke groggily and muttering some words which they didn't understand quite clearly. Then they approached Fuuko and they went straight to the lawns of the school to their official picnic table under the Cherry tree, leaving the still dreaming Domon lying and drooling on the floor.  
  
"Ah, darn class!" Rekka said while yawning and stretching. "How'd you two get to enjoy that crap he's teaching us?! I mean, come on!!!" he said as he made a grab for his sandwich and made a glomp for it.  
  
"You just don't appreciate many things, Rekka," Fuuko said nonchalantly to him while eating her own sandwich and examining the back of the box of her own juice. "Rekka-kun, if you would only study harder, you would learn to appreciate it," Yanagi said while smiling at him. "Ne, Fuuko-san?" Yanagi averted her gaze to Fuuko who was now answering the trivia on her juice box. She simply nodded and almost jumped off as something loud grabbed her attention.  
  
"MY DARLING!!! WHERE ARE YOU?! HOW COULD YOU LEAVE POOR DOMON ALL-" Domon was cut-off by Fuuko's clenched fist, sending him high above the skies and screaming the word 'alone' with an echo.  
  
"Baka!" Fuuko muttered and Rekka released a fit of laughter. But then, suddenly, a huge horde of girls were shouting at the school gates as if a celebrity has just arrived. They were all shouting at the top of their lungs while some of them had fainted on sight. Rekka's laughing died and his face suddenly turned seriously irritated. "Tch, I bet it's Kurei and his cronies, again." Fuuko and Yanagi knew who he was talking about. It was his rich stepbrother, which he lived with nowadays, and his cutesy friends, namely Joker, Raiha, Neon, Miki and Aki. Miki was on their level and Aki was a sophomore. Kurei was also a graduate of their school and visited often because, since he is now a world renowned multi-millionaire, he partly owns the school and because he wanted to keep an eye on a certain someone. (A/N: Can't tell you yet!)  
  
Joker acknowledged the attention the girls were giving and there were guys on the windows all checking out Neon, which she merely dismissed and started to pull Joker's pigtails into the school building and as she did so, many of the girls glared at her nad some of them, who obviously had focusing their attention to what was happening, kept on sighing not knowing that Joker was already gone.  
  
Kurei had been sought after, too. Only that Joker kept them pre-occupied as always so he could get away as fast as he could. He is still in college but he already is as what he is now. Girls and ladies, ranging from fifteen (?!) to forty (?!?) was after him, and he was the talk of town and his face is on the cover of PRIME Magazine.  
  
Rekka and Yanagi stared at the slowly disappearing crowd and went back to their own classrooms just in time as the bell rang. Fuuko was left behind because she had to fetch something at the library needed for a class presentation on her science class. She went off to the library and as she was not looking at where she was going because she was examing the list of possible books she could borrow for the presentation, she bumped off at someone, causing her to fall flat on her butt and him, still standing and holding a thick book. She stood up and brushed the dust off her skirt and bowed at him, "Gomen ne, I wasn't watching where I was going," and rised as she finished. He looked at her just above the book before completely lowering it. He stared at her and closed the book completely. She didn't like the way he stared at her. It was so scrutinizing and so discriminating. Who the heck does this person think he is? As her worried face turned into a irritated one, she started clenching her fist as he continued to stare at her. "Don't you know it's impolite to stare?" She was getting rather impatient and obviously, this guy was some sort of high-up-in-air-headed guy. Here she was, apologizing for bumping into him and all he did was stare at her degradingly?! She was about ready to punch him when he raised his book and walked off. She was so irritated at this guy's attitude. It was the first time she saw him and yet, she was already puffed up with him. She released her pent-up anger at the nearest wall, and huffed. She then straightened up and started walking to the library again and decided to do her project at the art room.  
  
Kurei was silently reading some of the reports on observations made to the teachers and some students of the school and he was rather disappointed at some of his employees, and some reports on how Rekka managed to destroy one classroom with his fight with Ishijima. 'Have to tell mom this,' Kurei noted mentally and took off his glasses and leaned back on the chair. He thought of something and wallowed in the silence of his office. He was thinking about earlier, when he arrived. All the girls were screaming and shouting and Joker flirting with them and him ending up at Neon's mercy (like that's not a usual view) and Rekka getting all irritated at his antics of arriving at the school during breaks thinking that he wanted attention (which he didn't and like that's not a usual view) and the male students checking out the three sisters. Something bothered him though. Since he came back to Tokyo just three years ago, the Hokage and Uruha were there at the airport, even Rekka, were there. Welcoming him back to his home. He had just graduated from Dartmouth then. But there was something missing... she wasn't there. But how come? Ganko was there. He even carried her while buying her some clothes during his first few weeks of return to the country. He had asked the girl where she was but all the girl said was she was too pre-occupied with her studies right now. 'Yeah, right. Same excuses everytime I ask Ganko. No use asking her again when I see her.'  
  
He knew of their parents' death, of course. Even though Rekka hated him so much, he still informs him of how things are back in Tokyo. Rekka personally called him when he knew of their death. He was in the middle of defense and examinations that's why he wasn't able to make it, but swore to make it up to Ganko and her sister. "Tch, which was three years late." he muttered to himself while staring at the clear skies outside the window of his office.  
  
Their family and his were very good friends. But, unfortunately, their father died due to a cardiac arrest and leaving him with Kagerou, his stepmother which he grew fond of soon, and an idiotic brother like Rekka. It was a good thing that he was able to manage himself quite well, though since their father's death, all was set upon him, including their family firm, and he was only fifteen back then. Kagerou detested this but when he saw that she was being pressured by all the work and decided to share the work with her. She had no choice since he has every right to it, she agreed soon after.  
  
But all this took his time away from his friends - the Uruha (Raiha, Neon, Miki, Aki and Joker) and the Hokage, which was mostly composed of Rekka's friends but not as stupid as he is, except the Gorilla (Fuuko, Yanagi, Ganko and Domon). He was close to all of them, except Rekka and the gorilla who hated his guts and the way he makes his moves on their darlings. He particularly got close to two girls on the Hokage but exceptionally close to one girl, which he is thinking of right now. He hasn't seen her face to face ever since he came back three years ago. When he came to their house, she wasn't there - only Ganko was left with Yanagi. when he came to the school, he was rather bothered by the horde of girls fleeting around him and when he turns around, she is gone. There could be no doubt she has seen him arrive; and that raised a question on his mind - was she avoiding him? He closed his eyes and thought what he could've done wrong that she avoided him that much for the past years. He still writes often back then, no doubt about that. He always sent her cards, e-mails and presents and stuff like that but he still doesn't know why she was doing this to him. He groaned inwardly and rubbed his temples. He felt like he was about to get a headache, when -  
  
BANG!  
  
His head shot up and looked up where it may have been. It sounded like someone had dropped something or hit something. He fixed himself up and stood up the chair and started walking to the door. Who could've done that? Making such noise is prohibited! And it seemed to him it was done on purpose because he heard a couple of less audible noises like the first one he heard and there was also hard stomping of feet. He twisted the door knob and stepped out of his office. But, there he saw no one. He sighed and saw that the library was just beside his office (A/N:aha, never did he took notice). He then decided to have a little observation around the school, and started walking to the stairs.  
  
He was here down at the sixth floor of the school building. He saw the classrooms filled with students. Some had been sleeping and some had been chatting and the usual stuff. But his attention was caught when he saw Rekka in one of the classrooms singing (or reciting) some kind of thing he is getting from the book. He then saw it was written there as 'MUSIC 101'. 'So,' he mentally thought, 'the baka could sing. I would die hearing that!' He also saw some of the students covering their ears with all their might for a hope that they could survive Rekka's terror.  
  
He almost laughed but decided not to and continued walking down the hall.  
  
As he walked continuously down to the next building, which where all function rooms (music rooms, laboratories, AVR's, Media rooms, etc.) were found. He stopped to see what each room with a class was doing. One room was dissecting what seems to be a frog (A/N: Basic Bio...) and some girls who seemed to be grossed out with this experiment. 'She was never like that,' he said to himself and sighed once more as he continued walking.  
  
Kurei continued to see the other function rooms and stopped at one room whose lights were open. It had said there 'ART ROOM' and so he proceeded inside. But there was no one there. He had decided to turn off the lights when he heard something moving in one of the closets. It seems to be looking for something. He dropped his hand and started walking towards the person, but before he could take a step, it seems like he was stunned. It was her, standing there. But she has changed - her hair was longer and she had grown taller and more slender. She was absolutely stunning! She was currently holding something and was brushing the dirt off it when she took knowledge of his presence. She stopped brushing off the dirt and stared at him. He stared at her, too. He swallowed hard, thinking of how much she has changed and took a deep breathe and muttered hello and made a slight bow. She hid the thing behind her back and bowed slightly back at him. She then rised and walked past him to her project. He walked to her and stood beside her. But, he didn't fail to notice that she was rather cold and distant. 'So unlikely of her to be like this,' he thought.  
  
"Didn't know I'd come across you here," he said, pretending to be looking around the room. She said nothing. He became more tensed than he already is when he saw her. "Why are you out of class today?" he asked. She stopped for a bit, but carried on what she was doing. "I'm excused because I have to finish a presentation for the class. I will also have to prepare a defense for the interschool competition." She explained ever so briefly and so coldly. He stared at her as she continued to work. He pulled a seat and grabbed her arms and forced her to take her seat. He then cornered her into the chair and stared into her eyes. She was surprised at this and didn't hesitate to shout at his face. "What the heck do you think you're doing?!" She said as she tried to free herself from his grip. His hold was strong and no matter how much she fought it, he held her down harder until she stopped struggling... then he took a deep breathe and asked the question that's been bothering him from time to time now, "Why are you avoiding me?"  
  
"I'm not. So let me go." she said, deadly serious.  
  
"Yes you are. You didn't return my calls or letters. You're always not home when I visit. You don't approach me anymore ever since I came back." He stopped and loosened his grip. He sighed and rose from cornering her. she didn't speak and instead, picked up her things and headed for the door. But she halted as he was about to touch the knob and said - "people change, Kurei. You and I are not the same anymore. We're way out of each others' league." She stopped and turned the knob and walked out of the room. He tried to go after her but when he went to the door, she was gone. He assumed she must have ran. He combed his fingers in his hair in frustration and closed the room. He was now dead confused. How come she accused him of having change and not the same and being out of each others' league and stuff like that. Neon and the others didn't! There must have something that has happened that he doesn't know.  
  
She was there in the rooftop. She had used the window so that he could escape Kurei faster and used the Fuujin (A/N: Madougu's still alive and kickin' it!) to send her up to the rooftop like an invisible elevator. (A/N: Its is only the sixth floor and all the offices in the seventh floor have their doors closed.) She sat there, toying with the pendant he gave her for her tenth birthday before he left all of them to study in U.S. He promised to write and call, which he did, but since her parents died, she changed. Back then, she was really one heck of a tomboy but now, she's what you can call a normal girl but still invisible to the popular people at school. She changed for her and Ganko's sake. She stopped having contact with him and focus on what's really important right now - her life, not her silly crush.  
  
When she was thirteen, she had a peptalk with some of Yanagi's friends in the Mentor's Society and they all talked about crushes and love, to which Yanagi was quite uncertain of. It was also the time when Rekka had developed feelings for his Hime, despite the fact that they've known each other since birth and have been together their whole lives. She listened quite carefully and found herself to be interested and be one of those who got what they called "the symptoms that you have been bitten by a love bug". That was also the time when she realized she liked Kurei more than a brother and a best friend. That's when she realized it was something else also. That's when she kept in touch more often and was very happy that Kurei did the same. But all of that changed at that incident. When she had it figured out that she now had heavier responsibilities in life, she decided to stop the silly thing and carry on with her life and Ganko's.  
  
"It was only an infatuation, nothing more." She muttered to herself, still staring at the sky and letting her element play with her now long and beautiful hair. She sighed, stood up and picked her things up and raised her head with eyes closed and the wind blew harder.  
  
"It wasn't you who changed..." she whispered to the wind, "It was me." 


	2. As Told by Destiny

WHISPERED BY THE WIND  
  
"It wasn't you who changed..." she whispered to the wind, "It was me."  
  
THE NEXT DAY...  
  
Tokiya Mikagami was out of the classroom, again. Partly because he had to read some books recommended to him by his teacher to read for a certain upcoming Interschool Competition. His face was buried at the book while he was walking at the corridors of the school. He had decided to go to a vending machine at that floor and grab something to drink before heading off to the Student Center or rooftop where he can read in peace. He placed a 100 yen and grabbed his drink and proceeded walking heading towards the rooftop, as he had decided it would be rather more secluded than tha student center.  
  
She was up the rooftop again. Fuuko walked down the steps of the staircase deep in thought. She stared at her feet making movements as she stepped. She hugged the book and folder she was holding for her presentation. She kept on sighing, thinking about her recent encounter with him. She was now a bit regretful that she had purposely ignored him for the past four years (one after her parents' death and three since he came back). She was a bit touched at his reaction. She never knew he took it seriously... she never knew he still held on to the hope of keeping their friendship alive... which she didn't. She sighed again and shifted her her arms to support what she was carrying. She had reached the last step of the stairs and stopped. "Gomen ne, Kurei. But, I couldn't help it." She whispered to herself and turned on her heel and continued walking.  
  
He was silently sipping his drink and read the book at the same time. He never bothered looking at where he's going for he was well aware where the stairs was and that there are no student or teacher would be walking around the halls for the classes were ongoing. Well, so he thought...  
  
She was still looking on the floor and deep in thought when she had bumped into someone... again. This guy, obviously not looking where he was going, bumped straight to her, causing her to back up a bit. She looked up and saw the same guy who had bumped into her earlier and was wearing the same look he had yesterday. She wasn't supposed to be angry at him since she was not in the mood, too, but the way he was looking at her was definitely annoying and undoubtly discriminating. Who the heck was he, anyways?  
  
And that was also the first time she got a better glimpse of him...  
  
He was handsome, beautiful if he was not a guy, but very handsome. He had long, silver hair and cold eyes of blue. He was lean and tall, but he had a flaw - he was way filled up with air.  
  
He stared at her and saw her expression of loneliness change into slight annoyance. He closed his book and saw her starting to fume at him. He had recognized her. She was the one who bumped in him yesterday near the library. He also got a pretty good glimpse at her but now, he was actually looking at her. He had to admit this girl was beautiful, no bimbo (like the ones who followed him), and, as he had observed, was quite hot-headed. 'Also the first one to hate my guts,' he noted mentally. They were checking-out each other when the bell rang.  
  
Students flooded out of the hall and was chattering around, obviously not noticing the two of them... yet.  
  
One girl turned her head and started pulling on her friend's uniform and both screamed at the sight of Tokiya Mikagami. 'K'so,' he thought as the girls started to flood around him. Fuuko was suddenly surprised as students started to flood around him, making her unable to see him. Girls bumped at her and about. It raised the question even more on her head. So okay, this guy's quite popular... but who the heck is he?  
  
Her question was about to be asked when she came across some of her classmates, who were also screaming and blushing wildly all at the same time, obviously trying to get near him. She became even more confused. She seized the opportunity to ask who was this guy.  
  
"Ano, Izumi-san," Fuuko asked her classmate. "what's going on?"  
  
Izumi stopped and faced her with a huge smile on her face. "What's going on?! It's TOKIYA MIKAGAMI! oh, he's so handsome and so smart..." she stopped talking and screamed with the other girls. Ah, so this was the famous Mikagami - the sophomore that they said had everything. He was being horded by girls, but he didn't seem to mind. In fact, she decided to walk away when she saw the look he had on his face and the way he dealt with the girls... 'just like him,' she thought.  
  
She met up with Rekka, Yanagi and Domon at the usual place, only there were not only three of them there. The Uruha was with them, too. She was about to turn to her heel when Miki called her and waved at her excitingly. "Oiya, Fuu-chan!"  
  
All heads turned to see who Miki was waving at and saw her, including him. They all waved at her and she decided to simply smile back at them. He was looking at her, or rather staring. He raised his hand a bit to acknowledge her presence. Seemingly, she had no choice, she walked over to them.  
  
She received hugs from the Uruha, especially Neon, who acted as an elder sister to her. She kept on asking how Fuuko was and she smiled at her answered her questions. The Uruha also bought lots of food for them and they sat down as they chatted for a little while. She sat with the girls on the other side, beside Neon while he sat across her, beside Raiha, his best friend. He ate in silence while all of them chatted animatedly, including Fuuko herself. But he kept throwing glances at her and she didn't fail to notice it at all.  
  
"So, Fuuko-han," Joker started, "are you still busy with school and stuff?"  
  
"Un. I have been appointed to do a class presentation and defense for the incoming competition." Fuuko replied before shoving a spoonful of baked macaroni on her mouth.  
  
"That's nice. Wish I had the same determination you had..." Joker said defiantly. "Yeah, then maybe your grades will stop dropping." Neon said as she sat upstraight with a little smirk on her face. Joker stuck his tongue out at her as he continued his interrogation about Fuuko's school life.  
  
"I heard that there were two students competing there. Do you know who's the other one?"  
  
"Ummm, not that I've heard of but yeah, the teachers told me that I was going to have a partner, only that they weren't able to convince him yet... so they say," Fuuko explained while throwing a small piece of bread at Rekka.  
  
"I heard it was going to be that guy from 2-A." Domon said while trying to swallow the whole slice of pizza. "I don't know his name. Err... maybe you do, Aki."  
  
Aki's head shot up and swallowed whatever she was eating. "2-A guy is going to be a competitor? It's going to be Mikagami then, no doubt about it."  
  
Fuuko almost choked on her food when she heard the name. No way, not him. She was going to be intimidated for the rest of the competition if it would be him. "I beg your pardon?"  
  
"Mikagami Tokiya. You know him - rich, smart, popular, most handsome guy in the campus," Aki said dreamily and then turned to Fuuko and nudged her, "You sure are lucky Fuu-chan! You get to be with Tokiya Mikagami!"  
  
Fuuko swallowed hard as she was growing quite nervous about her partner. It was going to be one long day as the bell rang and all of them proceeded to their classrooms. She said goodbye to all of them, except him. She only gave a slight nod and left with Yanagi. She was just about to sit when she was called by the vice-principal to be at the Science Department Head Office, making her even more nervous.  
  
"Thank you, Mikagami-kun, for accepting this offer." his Science teacher said while fixing a few files here and there. "It would really mean a lot to the school. Thank you."  
  
Mikagami merely nodded and continued to read stare at the window. "Your partner will be arriving soon. And I tell you, she's such a nice girl and I think you won't have a hard time working with her." Again, he only nodded, though his attention was caught when someone had knocked to the door and entered the office.  
  
"Ah, Kirisawa-kun. Please, please, have a seat." the Science Department Head, Mr. Ishikawa said. "This is Mikagami Tokiya. Fuuko Kirisawa." Mikagami only nodded at her as she took a slight bow and had an irked but nervous look on her face.  
  
"As you were told," he began, "You two will be partners for the upcoming competition next semester. It will be against all private schools in Japan, so this is no joke. It will bring us great honor. And I am well aware of your achievements and performance for the past two examinations given which had the sole purpose of choosing who will be competing," he continued and Fuuko remembered that exam which was given. It was the time when Rekka decided to burn the test paper and got beaten by Kurei the next day (she knew that, of course, Rekka told her) and Domon cried over the test paper. Mikagami also had remembered about the exam. It was the time a guy named Joker, who sat beside him during Science Class, kept scratching his head and flirted with a girl in his class. "Now, we didn't get to convince Mikagami here because he had so much in mind," 'Yeah, maybe because he's too pre-occupied keeping his air,' Fuuko thought while rolling her eyes a bit, which Mr. Ishikawa failed to notice but didn't escape Mikagami's eye. "Anyways, we have accomplished the schedule of events the two of you will be sent off to before the competition. It is a part of the requisites of the competition and you will be obliged to attend them in order for you to compete well. It is also a development program, so it is basically an opportunity for the both of you..." Mr. Ishikawa continued blabbering while Mikagami paid no attention to him and Fuuko examined the folder given to them. "Well, now. If you have any questions, just approach me. You may now go." He said and Mikagami immediately stood up and headed for the door as Fuuko raised a question. "Uh, Ishikawa-sensei, what's this 'A Month-Camp'?" Fuuko said and Mikagami stopped on his tracks and decided to look at his own copy of the schedule. It did say 'A Month-Camp', set in Okinawa on the third week. "Ah, that," Mr. Ishikawa stopped and produced his own copy out of his drawer. "It is the way of the committee to get all of the competitors well acquainted. A very nice idea, don't you think? It would also develop trust among everyone." Fuuko stared at the schedule once more and swallowed hard. 'Stuck with Mikagami for a month, away from here? This is not good...' Her thoughts were interrupted as Mr. Ishikawa stood up. "Well, if you would excuse me, I still have a meeting with Mr. Mori. And don't you kids worry, he has already signed all the approvals needed for that competition. No need to fuss about anything. You are both excused. Well, if you would kindly excuse me." Fuuko nodded and stood up and gave Mr. Ishikawa a slight bow and headed towards the door where Mikagami was currently standing and was about to open the door. "Good day to the both of you. I'll just call you when something's come up, okay." The both of them nodded.  
  
They walked in separate directions because he was heading for his classroom on that floor and her, heading for the lifts and went down to the third floor. "Fuuko Kirisawa, you are dead." She muttered to herself, leaning on the elevator wall and bumped her head against it. 


	3. Something I Never Knew

WHISPERED BY THE WIND  
  
Bits and Pieces: A Little Explanation  
  
Hey guys... this will save you from utter confusion.  
  
I couldn't find a suitable guy for Mifuyu (yes, she's alive here!) and I needed someone who is really nice... and the winner is Raiha. TOFUU RULES! So, gomen Raifuu fans. I'm a Tofuu fan myself. Ohohohohohoho! Also, other pairings are JokerxNeon, the usual RekkaxYanagi and GankoxKaoru. I also made Kurei close to Kagerou and he's way OOC here to make the story a bit romantic. I also made Kurei and others friends since they were young and Kurei was very fond of Fuuko (think of Aoshi and Misao...). I also made a mistake on Aki and Miki. I just remembered, AKI IS YOUNGER THAN MIKI! I totally forgot, gomen! Anyways, I still have to think on how I will stick KaoruxGanko in the story...  
  
Thanks also to lime7, my first reviewer... don't worry... it will be ToFuu.  
  
Okay, that enough. Standard disclaimers apply... only pain, no gains (in writing this story, I mean).  
  
.............................................................................................................................  
  
"Fuuko Kirisawa, you are dead." She muttered to herself, leaning on the elevator wall and bumped her head against it.  
  
"You are going to WHAT?!" Rekka shouted and Domon almost spilled what he was drinking. They were currently on a cafe when Fuuko had informed the Hokages of what the school has in store for her during the competition. Yanagi was in a bit of shock and held her cup with shaky hands. "Why the heck would they do that? I mean, come on! It's just a competition, for Kami's sake!" Rekka continued to blabber while Domon was, at anytime, ready to burst once Fuuko declares that she's going to attend the events for the competition. Yanagi lowered her head and was quite flushed due to the way her ninja acts. Almost everyone there were staring at them. Rekka gave Fuuko a big time sermon and Fuuko paid no attention to it. "Wait a minute," he finally paused, causing Fuuko to look up at him, "the school boards approve this kind of things before it happens, right? Then, I'll go ask-" Rekka was cut off when Fuuko placed her cup of coffee rather loud. "No need, Rekka. It has already been approved by Kurei three months ago. You can't do anything because it has already been paid for and submitted to the competition organizers. Even I don't agree with this, but I have to go or all my efforts will be wasted!"  
  
Rekka looked at her for a while, then sat back on his seat beside his Hime. "Oiya, would you keep it down there!" Someone shouted at them and waving his fist up in the air. Rekka then continued to finish his own cup.  
  
Tokiya had arrived home. Seeing that the house was rather noisy, he assumed that Mifuyu was home. His sister was on vacation from Tokyo University and was currently playing the radio rather loudly. He opened the door with his keys and saw Mifuyu in the kitchen singing together with the radio. He decided to turn it down and went straight to the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, you're back!" She then approached Tokiya and hugged him. He then hugged her back and saw that she was currently on duty of cooking. "Oh, I'm cooking Lasagna tonight. Raiha's coming over," Mifuyu said merrily as she went back to her cooking while humming.  
  
He knew Raiha, of course. He works at the school. Mifuyu and him had been dating for two years now. They met at the University. As far as he heard, he was working for the president of the school, Kurei Mori and was one of the sought after male, even though he's not a student, in the whole school. He came for visits back when Tokiya was still a freshman. He was a great guy and he was very supportive of Mifuyu's every decision. Raiha became his brother that he never actually had.  
  
Tokiya then went to his room to change. Despite the noise that lived again because Mifuyu obviously waited for him to leave the living room before turning the volume up again. He tried to study the papers that Mr. Ishikawa has given them. Indeed, there were many activities written there, and all of this was to be done by the two of them. Submission of required paperworks were also written there. But as he heard someone honking his horn downstairs and Mifuyu can't seem to hear them, he went down, together with his paperworks, went down and opened the door. Welcoming the guest and at the same time, bidding farewell. 'Might as well study in the park rather than listening to these two.' It was Raiha and as Tokiya left, Raiha closed the door behind him and turned the radio down. Tokiya started walking to the park.  
  
Kurei had been thinking in his office when Raiha had knocked and told him that he was off to see Mifuyu. Kurei acknowledged this with a mere nod and Raiha, knowing his best friend, smiled and said, "Well then, take care, alright? And take some rest. I won't be around until eight, alright. well then, Ja!"  
  
"Ja ne." Kurei muttered as Raiha closed the door but sent in a quarreling Neon and Joker with Miki and Aki behind them, shaking their heads in embarassment.  
  
"Aw, come on Neon-han! You know I was only playing with them! You know that the only one I'm serious with is you!" Joker pleaded at Neon who seemed to be fuming mad mixed with jealousy. "I am not talking to you." Neon said flatly and Miki and Aki went to the other room inside Kurei's office to play some Play Station. Neon then plomped herself down his sofa with Joker seemingly begging for mercy. "Neon-han!" Joker then turned to Kurei and pleaded, "Kurei-sama, a little help, onegai?" He was staring at the two of them and Neon shot a glare at him. Kurei sighed and stood up his chair and picked up his briefcase. "What is it now?" He asked with an air of annoyance around him. "Well, I was talking with a few girls and Neon-han saw this and got mad at me." Joker explained.  
  
"Well, she wouldn't be if you would stop being such a seducer of women," Kurei said nonchalantly.  
  
"But Kurei-sama, it would be impolite to ignore them. I mean, their such beauties-"  
  
"See what I mean! You know what, enough of this, I'm going home!" Neon said, all fed up with Joker's explanations and immediately headed for the door. "Neon-han!"  
  
Kurei on the other hand was not surprised at the turn up of events. He assumed that by the time he arrives home, the two would be together once more. They always did fight because of Joker being a playboy and Neon being the jealous girlfriend. He then picked up his briefcase and knocked on the leisure room. "Hey, you two, Neon just left and if you feel like being the last here in the building, you'd better turn that off, now. I still have an appointment to attend to." Miki and Aki then scurried out the door after hearing this and turning the Playstation and television off. He then closed the office and went to his car. "Demo, Kurei-sama, how are we going to get home? Neon has taken the car!" Miki complained while pouting. He heaved a sigh and gave them a money for a taxi ride. "Now, be home before seven, alright?" Then, he drove off.  
  
He wasn't actually heading for a meeting. He was actually heading off to the Kirisawa residence. He stopped over a bakeshop and a flower shop before going there, making sure he'll have something to give Ganko and Fuuko.  
  
He heaved another heavy sigh. He was going there to see Fuuko and he also wanted to talk to her. The thought of her made him remember the past - when he was fifteen and she was only nine. They played a lot together and even though he was the most sought after guy in the school and had a crush on Kurenai (A/N: Yeah, I know), he still decided not to have any connection with her because his time was already taken away by his studies and he wouldn't want to spend a day not even hearing Fuuko's voice.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Oi, Kurei! Rekka's been beating me up again!" Fuuko complained to him while his brother played with Fuuko. He was then studying one of his advanced lessons and dropped the book to his lap.  
  
"Rekka! I told you not to! Fuuko is not as strong as you so no beating up, ok?" Kurei said to his brother as he held Fuuko who, unknown to him, was only pretending to be crying.  
  
"But I didn't do anything, aniki! I swear!" Rekka said as he glared at Fuuko who had her tongue stucked out. "She was the one who insisted on it, not me!"  
  
"No matter... why don't you just both sit here and eat your snacks. Mom made delicious Cookies and Creme." Kurei said as he sat Fuuko down next to him and Rekka sat across them.  
  
"By the way, I'll be leaving next month," Kurei said and Fuuko almost dropped her fork. "Why?"  
  
"Oh, I have to study somewhere else that offers my advanced subjects."  
  
"Why not go to Tokyo University, then, aniki?" Rekka asked while attempting to lick the cream off the side of his mouth.  
  
"They do not offer there what I need to learn. So I want you to be a good boy and take care of Fuuko, alright?" Kurei said as he muffled his hair and Rekka only nodded. But, as he turned, he saw Fuuko's face was down and he smiled. "Fuu-"  
  
"NO! I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO! YOU'RE LEAVING US! HOW COULD YOU!?" Fuuko shouted then ran out of the house. Kurei shouted after her but she didn't seem to listen. She ran off until she reached their house and cried in her room. Her mother didn't notice her come in because she was tending to their newly adopted daughter Ganko. Kurei buried his hands in frustration, knowing very well that some of them wouldn't be able to understand it, but he didn't think it would be her...  
  
...but soon enough, she did.  
  
Her tenth birthday has just passed and Kurei had his present for her in his hand. She came to see him off. He handed her her present - a pendant with a silver necklace. He said it has been his mother's - his biological mother. She died after giving birth and his father gave him the necklace and pendant so that he could give it to the one person he loves...  
  
...but he never told him that. It would confuse her so much because she was still young but intended to keep it to himself. He kissed her on the cheek before leaving and kept in touch for the next three years but stopped for a reason unknown to him. Now he was regretting it, he liked, no, loved her ever since but he couldn't tell her just yet. But when he was about to tell her, their connection was already broken.  
  
His thoughts were cut off when he arrived in front of the Kirisawa Residence. He stepped out of the car and took his gifts for Fuuko and Ganko. He made it up the steps of their house and rang the door bell.  
  
Ganko was sitting in front of the TV and was talking over the phone when the doorbell rang. Fuuko was currently in the shower. Ganko stood up and opened the door and gave a huge scream. "KUREI-NIICHAN!" He smiled at her and gave a her a hug and she said goodbye to her caller and promised to call back. Ganko then took her gift from him and gave him a big hug. "My, my... growing up so fast, are we?" Ganko only nodded and offered him a seat. She then went upstairs.  
  
Fuuko was enjoying the shower. It was a bit cold but satisfying. She would wallow a bit more before coming out... when Ganko knocked so loudly. She then stepped out of the shower and opened the door. "What?!"  
  
Ganko had this ridiculous smile on her face and looked very happy. "You'll never guess who's downstairs!"  
  
"Make me." Fuuko said while rolling her eyes and letting Ganko in. "It's Kurei-niichan!"  
  
"What?! What is he doing here?" Fuuko said almost hurrying to dress up.  
  
"Weeellll... to see you, I guess." Ganko said, making cute hints. "I'll tell him you'll be down in a minute!" Then Ganko scurried down to the living room to attend to their guest... or is it she knew that Fuuko's going to kill her soon.  
  
Fuuko became really nervous. She doesn't want to face him right now, but she must. She quickly got dressed and went down the stairs to the living room.  
  
Kurei sat down there. The sisters really had a nice place. He watched TV while Ganko sliced the cake he bought for them and made him some drinks. She had said that Fuuko would be down in a few minutes. He couldn't wait. He was already a bit jittery when something caught his attention - a purple-haired girl descending the stairs.  
  
Fuuko decided to pretend that she doesn't know he's there. She continued descending the stairs, looking at the floor. She doesn't want to meet his eyes, 'No, not yet...'  
  
But she couldn't help it. She wanted to meet those lovely eyes again - the ones she loved before.  
  
It was not long that she found herself staring at him, and him at her. She tore her gaze away from his eyes and brought it down to the bouquet of flowers he was holding. He followed her eyes, and smiled at her and offered the flowers.  
  
"Ne, Kurei-ni-" Ganko was cut short as she entered the room while holding her fork. She looked at the two and the atmosphere seemed tense. Ganko then sighed, and continued talking. "Ne, Kurei-niichan, since Fuuko-neechan's here, why don't you two take a seat and I'll prepare the snacks." Ganko said, giving Kurei a wink, which Fuuko didn't seem to miss. She sulked. This was definitely not her day. Ganko then stepped out of the room.  
  
They were both silent. Fuuko sat there while toying with her fingers and Kurei just sat there. Silence was so deafening that it made him talk. "Ano, Fuuko,"  
  
She didn't speak.  
  
"How have you been?"  
  
Short silence. "I'm fine." Pause. "How about you?"  
  
Kurei's heart skipped a beat. She was starting to loosen up a bit. "I'm fine also. Business is fine."  
  
"I know. Rekka told us." she stated flatly.  
  
"Yeah. Well, I missed you guys, so, I came back. I mean, I can still run the business while I'm still here, right?" Kurei smiled and looked at her. She nodded and Ganko came back with the snacks as the phone rang. Ganko picked it up and ran straight to her room.  
  
'Ganko, you're dead.' Fuuko thought to herself. 'Might as well entertain the guest...'  
  
"What are you doing here?" Fuuko asked Kurei, finally having the strength to look at him. He simply smiled at her and answered, "I came to see you. I missed you a couple of times I've visited so I took another chance, which was kind of lucky." Fuuko then nodded and picked up the plate of cake and gave the other one to Kurei. "I missed you. I'm telling the truth. I don't know what happened and why you started avoiding me. But I wish you would stop." Kurei said as he toyed with the fork and icing. He then placed the plate down and looked at her, "please?"  
  
Fuuko, with the tip of the fork in her mouth, was stopped from what she was doing (eating, of course). She then replaced the plate onto the coffee table and took a deep breathe. She faced him. "Well, to be honest, I was."  
  
Kurei was shocked. His expression quickly changed into utter confusion. "Why?"  
  
"Well, you really don't have to know. I know it's wrong but it's the least I can do. I don't want to add up into your burden and..." Now, Fuuko didn't stop talking and her expression kept on changing. The last one was she was about to cry. "I'm really sorry if I hurt your feelings. It's just I've found out something that changed me. Please don't think that you did anything wrong. I decided it and... and..." Fuuko was now crying. He was shocked. Kurei didn't quite catch what she actually meant but the words 'burden' and 'found' told him some things she meant and assured him of what she really felt about him and assured him of his. He then reached out to her cheek and wiped her tears. She kept on crying. In fact, she cried even more when he started wiping the tears off. She even threw herself at his chest and kept saying 'I'm sorry'. He held her until her crying stopped. He held her in silence.  
  
"I'm *sniff* really *sniff* sorry." Fuuko said, allowing him to hold her. Kurei smiled and straightened her up and wiped her cheeks. "Maa, you're still a child, Fuuko."  
  
Fuuko couldn't help but smile a bit. Kurei stroked her cheek as he looked at her. "Demo, you've grown up so much. I don't know what to do now."  
  
It was now her turn to be confused. She didn't understand what he meant.  
  
"Ummm..." Kurei was now growing nervous. He held her hand and looked at her and he grew even more nervous seeing the confusion in her eyes mixed with anticipation. "Ano, Fuuko. Please stop avoiding me, it hurts me the most. You told me not to blame myself for anything but I couldn't help it because it scared me. I thought I was going to lose you and before I knew it, I already had. I don't want you out of my life." Kurei confessed as he looked at her.  
  
Okay, now Fuuko became even more confused and nervous. The discussion she had with some friends and Yanagi flooded back to her, mixed with the reason why she avoided him for so long. 'Please, this couldn't be happening.' She thought. "Why?"  
  
"Because I love you so much and I don't want to lose you." This time, Kurei didn't hesitate anymore as he held her hands tighter and kissed them. He looked at her and waited for a response.  
  
Fuuko was flushed and happy but at the same time scared of something she didn't know. "Demo, Kurei. Please give me time."  
  
"I will. But please, don't avoid me while I wait." Kurei said as he kissed her hands again.  
  
Fuuko sighed. She was quite happy but that repaired a small crack on their friendship. "Aa."  
  
Kurei stood up happily. "Yosh! Thanks, Fuuko."  
  
She still looked at him with confusion. He then looked at his watch and started taking his coat. "Well, I'd better get going now. So, I'll see you?"  
  
She simply nodded her head and escorted him out of the door. When Fuuko closed the door, Kurei jumped for joy and when she heard the engine roar as he left, she went to her room and drowned herself in her own thoughts. 


End file.
